Date written: March 10th, 2007
Scripture ref: 2 Kings 6:15-18<\/p>\n
SUBJECT: Growth<\/p>\n
PROPOSITION: We need to open our eyes to spiritual possibilities. Let us pray the Lord open our eyes<\/strong> to 1) Our\/My spiritual needs, 2) The lost souls of men, 3) the growth of the church.<\/p>\n Objectives: That each would focus upon having a vision and praying the Lord to open our eyes to these things as we go about our daily business.<\/p>\n INTRODUCTION:<\/p>\n 1. Read: 2 Kings 6:15-18<\/p>\n 2. About the Text:<\/p>\n 1) Elisha and his servant found themselves surrounded by the Syrian army.<\/p>\n 2) Elisha’s servant was worried.<\/p>\n 3) But Elisha was not.<\/p>\n 4) He knew that God was with him.<\/p>\n 5) He prayed for the eyes of the servant to be opened.<\/p>\n 6) When they were, the servant saw the armies of the Lord revealed.<\/p>\n 3. We need spiritual sight.<\/p>\n 1) 2 Corinthians 5:7 says we walk by faith.<\/p>\n 2) There are some things we can’t see unless we look with the eyes of faith.<\/p>\n 3) The patriarchs had such faith. Hebrews 11:13-14.<\/p>\n 4) They looked and they saw.<\/p>\n 5) We need to look at some things with the eyes of faith as well.<\/p>\n 6) We need to pray that the Lord open our eyes.<\/p>\n 4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.<\/p>\n DISCUSSION: Let us pray the Lord to open our eyes<\/em> to…<\/p>\n I. Our\/My Spiritual Needs<\/p>\n 1. We’re not going to see our spiritual needs until we believe in our spiritual needs.<\/p>\n 1) We all have a sin problem (1 John 1:8, 10).<\/p>\n 2) As a result of this problem, we are all struggling to maintain fellowship with God.<\/p>\n 3) It’s our efforts to walk in the light that maintains that fellowship (1 John 1:7).<\/p>\n 4) We’ve got to believe we have a problem before we can see that problem.<\/p>\n 5) Let us open our eyes to our need for fellowship with God.<\/p>\n 2. Our spiritual needs come from our spiritual nature.<\/p>\n 1) We’re all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).<\/p>\n 2) We each have a spiritual nature, a soul, and an eternal spirit.<\/p>\n 3) We also have physical nature, a body.<\/p>\n 4) That part of our nature will grow which we feed.<\/p>\n a. Growth is commanded (2 Peter 3:18).<\/p>\n b. We need to grow in all things (Ephesians 4:15).<\/p>\n c. We need to imbibe spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2).<\/p>\n 5) Let us open our eyes to our need for spiritual growth.<\/p>\n 3. The answer to our spiritual needs is in the word.<\/p>\n 1) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – thoroughly furnished to every good work.<\/p>\n 2) Acts 2:42 – they continued in the apostles teaching.<\/p>\n 3) 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – they received the word of God as the truth.<\/p>\n 4) Let us open our eyes to the truth that the solutions to our spiritual problems are found in the word of God.<\/p>\n II. The Lost Souls of Men<\/p>\n 1. Who do we see when we look on our family and friends?<\/p>\n 1) We see the fleshly relationships.<\/p>\n 2) We tend to see the good in people’s lives first; that is what we WANT to see.<\/p>\n 3) We must understand that the people who stand before us also have a sin problem.<\/p>\n 4) That their relationship with God is affected by this problem.<\/p>\n 5) That God sees their souls in jeopardy (Isaiah 59:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).<\/p>\n 6) We need to open our eyes to the spiritual reality that the souls of our friends and families are in jeopardy.<\/p>\n 2. Those souls need God’s message of truth.<\/p>\n 1) Because this world cannot save them (Matthew 16:24-26).<\/p>\n 2) And we cannot save ourselves; our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).<\/p>\n 3) John 8:31-32 – to be disciples indeed and have true freedom.<\/p>\n 4) We need to open our eyes to the fact that God’s message will bring them out of darkness and into light.<\/p>\n 3. That we have an obligation to teach that message.<\/p>\n 1) Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16.<\/p>\n 2) Acts 8:4 – everywhere preaching the word.<\/p>\n 3) 1 Timothy 3:15 – we are to be the pillar and ground of the truth.<\/p>\n 4) We need to open our eyes to performing our role in evangelism.<\/p>\n III. The Growth of the Church<\/p>\n 1. What is our vision of the church?<\/p>\n 1) Do we see the church here in Berryville with more members or less?<\/p>\n 2) Do we see ourselves involved in that effort?<\/p>\n 3) Can we envision a plan to make that happen?<\/p>\n 4) We need to open our eyes to a vision for the growth of the church.<\/p>\n 2. How do we see the church growing?<\/p>\n 1) In the first century, the growth of the church was commanded.<\/p>\n 2) Jesus told the apostles to take the message to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the whole world (Acts 1:8).<\/p>\n 3) It wasn’t an option for them.<\/p>\n 4) They either grew or died.<\/p>\n 5) What about us. Can we see the growth of the church in that way?<\/p>\n 6) We need to open our eyes to the fact that the growth of the church isn’t optional.<\/p>\n 3. Do we see ourselves with a role in that growth?<\/p>\n 1) We each need to develop our abilities to teach others (Hebrews 5:12).<\/p>\n 2) Disciples are made by teaching (Matthew 28:18-20).<\/p>\n 3) We need to teach through our example as well (Philippians 3:17).<\/p>\n 4) We need to open our eyes to the fact that God wants us to teach!<\/p>\n CONCLUSION:<\/p>\n 1. Let us pray the Lord open our eyes to…<\/p>\n 1) Our\/My spiritual needs.<\/p>\n 2) The lost souls of men.<\/p>\n 3) The growth of the church.<\/p>\n 2. Invitation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Date written: March 10th, 2007Scripture ref: 2 Kings 6:15-18 SUBJECT: Growth TITLE: Open Our Eyes PROPOSITION: We need to open our eyes to spiritual possibilities. Let us pray the Lord open our eyes to 1) Our\/My spiritual needs, 2) The lost souls of men, 3) the growth of the church. Objectives: That each would focus … Continue reading “Open Our Eyes – Bible Outlines”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43417\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}